[January
14, 2014]ATLANTA — In celebration of
Route 66 and all it stands for, Atlanta, Ill., — located on the
Mother Road, midway between Chicago and St. Louis — announces the
second annual "Rt. 66 Reinterpreted" Art Project.

Modeled on Chicago's "Cows on Parade" exhibit, Rt. 66 Reinterpreted
presents artists the opportunity to create their own take on one of
the 20th century's most iconic and recognizable symbols: the U.S.
Rt. 66 highway shield.

Participating artists will be provided a blank, 2-by-2-foot
wooden cutout of the Rt. 66 highway shield, painted white, which
will then become their personal canvas. The only requirement in
creating a reinterpreted shield is to incorporate the text "Illinois
U.S. 66" somewhere on the face of the shield, in whatever size,
shape or color the artist desires. Everything else about the design,
style, background and color of the reinterpreted shield is left to
each artist's imagination and creativity.

The project is open to anyone 16 years old and above. Up to 50
entries will be accepted in this year's project, as determined by
the date applications are received.

The board of directors of the Atlanta Betterment Fund will select
10 shields out of the 50 entries as finalists. Shields selected as
finalists will be judged on originality of design, overall concept
and quality of execution. All decisions regarding judging are final.
Finalists will be notified by April 30.

All 50 entries will be displayed outside along Route 66 in
downtown Atlanta from May 1 to Aug. 31. Voting will then take place
May 1-Aug. 31 to select the top five shield designs as winners of
the 2014 project. Anyone, anywhere may vote: either in person at
selected Rt. 66 attractions in Atlanta or online via Atlanta's
website at
www.atlantaillinois.org. The top five vote-getters will be the
winners of this year's Rt. 66 Reinterpreted Art Project. Entries
selected as one of the top five winning designs will be notified by
Sept. 8 and will be showcased at the International Mother Road
Festival in Springfield Sept. 26-28. At the conclusion of the
project, the five winning shields, along with the names of the
artists who created them, will be displayed on a permanent basis in
the Atlanta Rt. 66 Park.

Artists wishing to enter the Rt. 66 Reinterpreted Art Project
must submit a completed application form, along with a $25 entry
fee. Completed applications are due by or before Feb. 15.
Applications received after Feb. 15 will not be accepted.

Completed Rt. 66 Reinterpreted shields should be carefully
packaged and returned to: The Atlanta Betterment Fund, 114 SW Arch
St., Atlanta, IL 61723. Shields should be submitted between March 1
and April 4. Shields received after April 4 will not be accepted.